


Scenario 13

by rideswraptors



Series: Kastle Scenarios [13]
Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, I really do love matt murdock guys, he’s just frustrating, see first part for warnings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 21:27:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16227653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rideswraptors/pseuds/rideswraptors
Summary: Karen’s mad. She’s hurt. But Murdock will come around. Or he’ll have Frank to contend with.





	Scenario 13

Frank Castle didn’t need extra reasons to dislike Matt Murdock. The fact that he’d seemingly thrown Karen over for another woman was more than enough. Their general disdain for each other’s methods gave them plenty to argue about. This? This was something else.

 

Frank had only been gone for a month after the elevator. 28 days, to be exact, and it was about 27 days longer than he’d wanted to be gone. He’d spent half of that time heavily sedated while his body healed, and the other half establishing his backstory as Pete Castiglione, construction worker. He’d been tailed day and night under threat of incarceration at a black site if he contacted Karen or tried to see her. So he took his orders, kept his head down, and got his ass back home. Karen was annoyed, but understanding. 

 

“I think Madani has a thing for you,” she’d told him snidely when he explained. Frank had spent the better part of ten hours showing her how little he cared for that sentiment. 

 

Now they were a  _ thing _ with a nebulous name but no uncertain or confusing terms. Karen was his and Frank was hers, and that was the end of it. Karen hated the word boyfriend, and Frank wasn’t sure he could ever call someone else his wife, so they settled on partner and were more than happy with that arrangement. 

 

It was more than a year later when Frank came home from a worksite early, takeout and white roses in hand, to find Karen sitting on the floor of their apartment with her back to the wall. She didn’t even react to his presence; just kept a hand over her mouth as she stared ahead of her. There were tear tracks on her cheeks, but nothing fresh in her eyes. 

 

Quite honestly, Frank had expected much, much worse.

 

He’d gotten the call from Jones late that afternoon, and told his boss he’d pulled a muscle. The guy was a scumbag, so he made sure to remind Frank that it was a flare up of an old injury. Frank didn’t give a flying fuck as long as he got to go home. Even though he didn’t go out at night too often anymore, Frank would still indulge. Especially if Karen caught something, or if Jones needed help. Of all the baby superheroes, Frank tolerated her best. She was a...person to Karen, he guessed. Friend was a strong word. But she occasionally fed him information if she felt like she needed an assist. 

 

This time, though, it was purely a head’s up.

 

_ He’s back _ . Frank nearly asked her who, but had stopped short.  _ Just thought you should know. Said he was gonna find Blondie next.  _

 

Find her, he did. 

 

Frank set aside their food and the flowers, not at all concerned about the state of either, and went to sit down next to her. He waited patiently until she settled against him, seeking comfort. Karen was not the kind of woman you overcrowded too soon. She always came to him when she needed him. So he lifted up his arm to accommodate her, and dropped a kiss to her head. 

 

“Matt’s back,” she told him blankly. Frank didn’t like the tone in her voice. Flat and even, almost as chilling as when she’d told him about killing Wesley. 

 

“So I was told.”

 

“Jess?”

 

“Jess.” 

 

She let out a soft sigh through her nose, but didn’t comment further on that point. Frank remembered the day Homeland had finally given him the all clear. He’d left everything he’d accumulated in that godawful safehouse and drove right to Karen. Didn’t even shower or change out of his coveralls, just drove until he saw her. 

 

Yeah, Frank Castle did  _ not _ understand Matt Murdock at all. Not even a little. 

 

She gestured vaguely in front of her. 

 

“Decided to make a courtesy house call. Daylight hours and everything. Didn’t bring me flowers, though, so that’s one point in your favor.” Frank grunted, trying to remember that she was upset and not actually comparing him to that douche. “Been alive this whole time. Somewhere, he wouldn’t tell me that. Guess Foggy knew.” Now that had to have stung. “Best part?” she asked rhetorically with a sniff, “he says he didn’t tell me…” she shook her head, “because of you.” 

 

Frank’s neck twisted so sharp he thought he’d wrenched it. How fucking dare--?

 

“He said he thought I’d been corrupted because that was the only way--” she all but snarled, “I can’t  _ believe _ him.” 

 

“That’s--”

 

“No!” she snapped, turning her face to his, arm coming around his waist, “don’t even start. This has absolutely nothing to do with you.” Frank couldn’t deny the sigh of relief he let out. Because he would have understood if she blamed him, too. It still earned him a pinch. “Matt thinks I’m some idiot damsel in distress who can’t be trusted to think for herself. You know...because I’m so easily persuaded.” The sarcastic bite in her voice brought a grin to his lips. At least the fire was coming back. Good sign. It still didn’t stop his brain from conjuring up that really great night when she  _ had _ been easily persuaded. She pinched him again. “Sex does not count, Frank!”

 

He held up a solitary hand in defeat. Karen sighed heavily and leaned her weight against him. She nuzzled against his chest and slid a leg over his. Frank adjusted his hands to keep her there. 

 

“Trusting you is the best decision I ever made,” she confessed softly. “And I hate him for trying to make me believe otherwise.” 

 

Frank stroked her back, knowing innately that nothing he said would make her feel better about any of it. Murdock had let her believe he was dead for 15 months. He’d come back and immediately tried to condemn her for her decisions, her actions, her life. All of which included Frank now. Or rather, Pete. Frank went to work events with her. Frank brought her flowers on Tuesdays. Frank made sure she was eating and taking necessary precautions. Frank made sure her .038 had plenty of bullets. One day Murdock was going to have to reconcile with that information. It wouldn’t happen anytime soon, but it would happen. Well, it would if Frank had anything to say about it. Because like it or not, his woman was friends with dangerous people. 

 

Frank sighed.

 

“He’ll come around.” He felt Karen’s grip tight on his shirt. 

 

“What if he doesn’t?” she whispered. Frank had a very specific answer for that question. One that she definitely wouldn’t like. So he bit it back and settled on something neutral.

 

“Give it time, baby, give it time.” 

 

Because if Matt Murdock didn’t crawl back to her on his knees, groveling and begging forgiveness, then he’d just have to be Punished. 

  
  
  
  



End file.
